This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Ia Drang and the start of the Vietnam War. Hal Moore captured our attention when his exploits in the Ia Drang battle were recounted in his memoir We Were Soldiers Once…and Young, and commanded our respect in the memorable Mel Gibson movie, “We Were Soldiers.” Now, his life is covered in full by celebrated author Mike Guardia in Hal Moore: A Soldier Once…and Always (Casemate Publishers).
Drastically outnumbered and nearly overrun, Hal Moore led his men to a surprising victory that claimed the lives of more than 1,200 enemy soldiers. The Battle of Ia Drang pioneered the use of “air mobile infantry”—delivering troops into battle via helicopter—which became a staple of U.S. operations for the remainder of the war.
One of the greatest battlefield commanders of the 20th century, little has been known about Hal Moore’s life and career beyond the Ia Drang battle…until now. In this book, readers will learn of his service in Occupied Japan, his life-and-death struggles in the hilltop battles of the Korean War, and how he helped rebuild the post-Vietnam Army.
Following his tour in Vietnam, he assumed command of the 7th Infantry Division, forward-stationed in South Korea, and in 1971 he took command of the Army Training Center at Fort Ord, California. In this capacity, he oversaw the US Army’s transition from a conscript-based to an all-volunteer force. He retired as a Lieutenant General in 1977.
At this writing, Hal Moore is 93 years-old and living quietly in Auburn, Alabama. He graciously allowed the author to conduct several interviews and granted full access to his collection of letters, documents, and never-before-published photographs.
Mike Guardia is a Captain in the US Army Reserve. He served six years on active duty as an Armor Officer. He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston. As an author, his previous works include Shadow Commander and American Guerrilla. He currently lives and works in Houston, TX. A portion of the book’s proceeds will go to benefit the USO.
For more, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/Hal-Moore-The-Biography-1406627382912279/timeline/
Hal Moore: A Soldier Once…and Always
Casemate Publishers
Available at: http://www.casematepublishers.com/index.php/hal-moore-hb.html#.ViUu-h2zZ9A and at Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and Amazon.com
Available in all major digital tablet platforms
$32.95 Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-1612002071
ARMY Magazine: “This book brings the saga of one of the Army’s premier combat commanders to a new generation of military leaders. We are in Hal Moore’s debt for his distinguished service under the most challenging conditions. We are in Guardia’s debt for making Moore’s story accessible to the American public.”
Brian Sobel, author of The Fighting Pattons: “…Hal Moore is an American treasure and military hero…story is captured from his earliest days at West Point, through Korea, to the seminal moment of his Army life during the famed 1965 Battle of Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam. The battle has become the stuff of legend and Guardia captures the story in vivid detail…”
Midwest Book Review: “…an in depth biography of one of the America’s most admired soldiers…Vintage black and white photography peppers this fascinating, thoroughly researched saga of Moore’s life and career in the service, highly recommended…”
Statesman Journal: “Guardia’s honest recollections of [Moore’s] experiences in Viet Nam (both during the war and in 1993 when he returned to visit the men that three decades before were considered the enemy) are eye-openers.”
Joint Forces Journal: “…truly an outstanding biography as the author, one of America’s finest military historians, was allowed unrestricted access to Moore’s collected letters, documents, and never before published photographs…[Author] tells how Moore exemplifies the leadership qualities needed in all military leaders both in battle and in peacetime…well-documented study of an exceptional soldier and innovative problem solver…contains sufficient depth to fully understand Moore’s personality, character and motivation…should be essential reading for every sergeant and officer in the military, and every executive in business.”
Connecticut Guardian: “… easy and fast read … but Guardia manages to reach the heart of what made Moore a successful military leader.”
Joplin Independent: “The strategies, the nature of the enemy, whether or not real lasting success followed military or personal battles, always can be questioned…Moore, through the focused eyes of author/tank unit commander Mike Guardia has a major impact on how we as a nation and as individuals see things militarily or otherwise.”
Tip of the Spear, Special Forces Association: “…well researched….logical, straight forward, and enjoyable to read.”
~ VVA Veteran: “…a concise, admiring biography of retired Army Lt. Gen. Harold “Hal” Moore…Told in Moore’s strong first-person voice, this readable narrative goes over the basics of the November 1965 actions at Landing Zones X-Ray and Albany, the fiercest components of the 34-day Battle of the Ia Drang Valley…Guardia leans heavily on the two books in his account of Moore’s life, along with interviews he conducted with [Moore], with members of his family, and with veterans who served with him.”
Pure Politics.com: “….collectively captures the heroism that Moore performed on fighting for freedom abroad. This work comes from hours of interview from the subject and his personal archive. Guardia has done a service in sharing the life of a forgotten hero.”
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